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NOW YOU KNOW WITH YORKTOWNJOE – G.I.JOE MARVEL ISSUE #16 REVIEWED!

BackgroundA lot of stuff has gone down in the last few issues. I’d read up on them or check out my previous reviews before proceeding. But to each their own!

On to the issue.

The issue begins with a training exercise in which the Joes are attacking simulated Cobra vehicles and emplacements. In looking back on this issue, there a number of questions I have that are left unanswered. Rock ‘N Roll is firing a gatling gun on the RAM motorcycle while driving next to the MOBAT firing both the machine gun and the main cannon. Nearby the VAMP is firing it’s twin guns on full auto. Overhead, a Dragonfly helicopter is creating significant more noise with its rotors, engine, and also firing. But Rock ‘N Roll takes offense to something Airborne and Wild Bill are discussing in the helicopter. I don’t care if he had the best noise cancelling headphones ever invented or a comm link directly embedded inside his ear canal: he could not have heard this conversation!! But I digress, as this is for us to digest as readers…

Cover Girl and the Wolverine are introduced. She takes out HISS tanks on the range, and teases Scarlett. I’m not sure if the cattiness was warranted, but Scarlett was disparaging her skills while all the others were praising her battlefield missile shooting skills. But I don’t remember any other tension between them the rest of the series. And it was kind of funny.

We also get to meet Trip-Wire, an explosive ordinance defusing specialist. Yeah, and he’s clumsy too.

Over on the Cobra side, we get to meet Major Sebastien Bludd a little more than the brief introduction from the last issue. He’s a mercenary and someone who might be assigned to special projects and covert matters.

Thanks to Larry Hama, we also get a glimpse into the thoughts of the Cobra hierarchy. Although, I have always thought that the artist or someone working with the panels mistakenly reversed the Baroness and Dr. Venom’s thoughts. Unless Dr. Venom refers to himself in the 3rd person, and thinks both Cobra Commander and Destro are romantically interested in him. Just switch the pictures from those last two panels and read it again. I think it makes a lot more sense that way.

Someone has leaked information about an attack on the Capitol building, so General Flagg and the other generals have assembled all available forces to defend the Capitol. Hawk argues with him that he thinks it is a diversion, and the Joes need back-up at the Treasury building. And over at the Treasury building, Dr. Venom and some Cobras are already up to no good. They are planning on putting a time release toxin in the printer’s ink so anyone touching the money will get sick or die. Terrorists indeed!

I understand the need to recognize characters based on their toy representation. I am pretty sure Navy S.E.A.L.s dress for the battle scenario they plan to find themselves in. Torpedo might at least have left his rebreather and flippers at home for a mission inside of a building.

But I give bonus points and forgiveness for a well-placed spear-gun blast. This is not your kid-friendly parachute deploying, everybody made it out safe moment.

At least Dr. Venom, the Cobra doctor is nearby. Maybe he can help this poor dying Cobra.

Nope. Dr. Venom is busy exercising his Hippocratic Oath to “Do no harm” on his own men. Very nice.

After a bit of graphic violence, let’s take a break to cleanse our minds briefly. Here’s a vintage ad that I found in this comic for a G.I. Joe video game.

Ahh, much better.

We see all kinds of Joe action including Cover Girl emerging with the Wolverine vehicle from a façade disguised garbage truck. Unless she crashed through a garbage truck, I think the Joes mocked up a garbage truck float style camouflage for the Wolverine. Someone should have told Cover Girl she didn’t really need to pick up garbage. It was a bit odd.

But as the fur is really flying, the Baroness is driving a HISS tank with Major Bludd in her tank’s turret. Cobra Commander is driving a nearby HISS, with Destro manning the gunner’s position.

She recognizes the Commander’s treachery at the last moment. The Commander ordered Bludd to kill Destro while the battle was in full swing.

She decides to make a quick course correction to try to save Destro at the last second. Some people may suggest this photo should be captioned “Woman driver causes wreck in downtown D.C.” But I acknowledge the Baroness truly loved Destro and risked grave personal injury to keep Bludd from getting a clear shot.

Like the gentleman that he is, Bludd leaves the Baroness begging for help as gas leaks all around the wreckage. The explosion with the round framed glasses flying off to the left is stunning. The Baroness makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Destro.

Destro falls into shock. Cobra Commander stops and picks up Dr. Venom. Dr. Venom makes a philosophical comment about love being nothing more than overestimating one woman over another. He’s such a romantic.

This brief stop allows the VAMP to catch up. Hawk jumps from the VAMP to the HISS tank and begins beating up Cobra Commander in the turret.

Destro comes out of his grief momentarily and engages Hawk. This allows the concussed Commander to try to regain his wits. He realizes he needs to shoot one of them, but which one? Hawk or Destro?

Cobra Commander shoots Hawk in the back three times, and his body falls off the back of the HISS tank.

The Baroness and Hawk are both down. The Night Attack has claimed high costs.

Although this is heavy, I’m writing a review here. Another nit-pick is the person on the bus reading a newspaper about an attack on the Capitol. I don’t even think Twitter could have got out the news that fast. Let alone a newspaper going to press with a story written, edited, and authorized. And then having the newspaper released and purchased and being read by a citizen on the bus. That is a timing issue. Or Hama was way ahead of his time in time compression.

This was a good comic with a few minor grievances on my part, and two major losses, one for Cobra, and one for G.I. Joe. The tease for the next issue indicates Kwinn and Snake-Eyes will try for a daring prison break.

Now You Know – a little more about the “Night Attack!” Thanks for reading and be sure and join in the conversation AFTER THE JUMP.Have a Happy New Year, everyone!
-YorktownJoe